The northeast monsoon popularly known as ‘Thulavasham’ in Kerala has set in over Kerala and Tamil Nadu, hardly two days after the complete withdrawal of the southwest monsoon from the country. The northwest monsoon, which accounts for around 20% of the annual rainfall in the State is likely to have a sluggish start in the initial days but is expected to gain pace in the coming days.
According to a weather bulletin issued by the India Meteorological Department (IMD), in association with a low pressure area over the southeast and the central Bay of Bengal and a cyclonic circulation over the Comorin area, northeasterly winds have strengthened over the south and central Bay of Bengal. Under the influence of these atmospheric conditions, northeast monsoon rainfall activity commenced over Tamil Nadu and Kerala on Saturday.
Cyclonic storm
Meanwhile, the deep depression over the southwest Arabian Sea has now intensified into a cyclonic storm ‘Tej’ on Saturday over the same region. The weather system is undergoing rapid intensification and may further intensify into a severe cyclonic storm during the next 12 hours and further into a very severe cyclonic storm during the subsequent 24 hours, said the IMD bulletin.
Since the system is positioned deep in the Arabian Sea and is moving west-northwestwards initially and then northwestwards, the impact of the system on the west coast, including Kerala, is very minimal. It is likely to cross the Yemen-Oman coast between Al Ghaidah (Yemen) and Salalah (Oman) early Wednesday morning. Similarly, a well-marked low pressure area formed over the Bay of Bengal is now undergoing intensification. Further, a trough runs from this system to another cyclonic circulation that lies over the Comorin area.
Fishers warned
Under the combined influence of the systems, the southern and central parts of Kerala will witness fairly widespread thunderstorms from Sunday. A yellow alert warning of isolated heavy showers is issued by the IMD for eight districts from Kollam to Palakkad on Sunday. Fishermen are advised not to venture into the southwest and westcentral Arabian Sea as gale wind speed reaching 110-160 kmph gusting to 175 kmph is likely over the same region, said the IMD bulletin.
